Adams Is Even Better The Second Time Around

BOSTON -- For the first time since his days at Boston College, Michael Adams is playing basketball for the same coach, the same team and in the same league for the second straight year.

Last year, his first in Denver, he stunned just about everyone by cracking the Nuggets` starting lineup, scoring almost 14 points per game, pushing the ball up at an overdrive pace, and launching 3-pointers from the general vicinity of Boulder. The Nuggets surprised everyone and won the Midwest Division.

This year, his second in Denver, he is again starting, scoring almost 22 points per game, pushing the ball at an overdrive pace and launching threes from Boulder. And the Nuggets, before all is said and done, may be among the top three or four teams in basketball at season`s end with the diminutive Adams playing a large role in their success.

``He came out hot right from the start,`` said Denver coach Doug Moe, ``but really, everyone did. Everything he did right as an individual, we did as a team. At times it was scary how good we were. We were almost perfect and so was he.``

The Nuggets then went into a swoon and lost four of five, mainly because of an injury to their version of Larry Bird -- Lafayette Lever. But Adams has kept on playing, running and shooting and hit the Celtics with 22 points and 12 assists in Tuesday`s 130-109 Denver rout.

``I think the biggest difference is that I`m more comfortable this year, I`ve had one season under my belt,`` Adams said. ``I know what to expect and what they want me to do. I`m looking now to be more consistent every night and perform to my usual level. That`s the main thing.``

The scoring increase is the most eye-popping of the 1988-89 statistics, but there`s an explanation for it. Adams is logging more minutes this season -- 38.1, up almost five per game -- and taking more shots -- 16.1, up more than five per game. He recently was criticized in the Denver media for shooting too much. His shooting percentage is down slightly (44.9 to 44), but his assists are up from 6.1 to 6.9.

But perhaps the biggest difference in his offensive package is that he no longer is just an outside shooting threat. Adams is getting to the free-throw line this season, much more than last year. More than 22 percent of his points come from free throws this season; last season the figure was 14 percent.

``Guys are challenging me a lot more on the threes,`` said Adams, who has made at least one three in 71 straight games. ``So I`m doing a lot more penetrating. They run out after me, I go by them and penetrate and either get the shot or dish it off. That`s given us a lot of easy baskets.``